Cross Time
by Vulcan Wolf
Summary: Title inspired by my old Friday night hangout. It fits. Continuing where the last chapter of A Girl Named Jim left off. Further misadventures in the Prime Timeline with Picard & Co. Read and review kindly! Edited and expanded!
1. Chapter 1

**_AN: Hey all! I got really bored, this was sitting around on the HD, and I wanted to finish the story I started in the last part of A Girl Named Jim. The central story was complete, but I had more ready to go. Here it is! This story is part of the AGNJ storyline but a stand-alone of sorts. Enjoy!_**

* * *

Chapter One

After returning safely home, Jim Kirk and her officers were relieved when they started landing research missions that took them nowhere _near _the Neutral Zone or anywhere there might be marauding Klingons or Romulans waiting to ambush the not-so unsuspecting Enterprise. As part of this string of missions, the Enterprise was assigned to explore a region of space in Sector 441 better known as the Briar Patch. Time to chart anomalies in a region of space that was pretty much one massive anomaly. The Klingons called the place Klach d'kel Bracht, the Federation called it the Briar Patch, and it was just one, big, astronomical booby-trap. Supernovae leftovers, metaphasic radiation, and false vacuum fluctuations were just a few of the joys awaiting them in the Briar Patch.

When Jim received these particular orders, she read them and went straight to Sickbay, where she found her husband doing paperwork.

"It had better be important." He snarled as she coded his door with her override and stepped into the office. Jim snickered.

"You are such a joy at 1030 in the morning." She teased, smiling when he glared at her, "Who pissed you off? It's a little early for you to start hating the universe, isn't it?"

"Neilson."

"Again? What'd he do _this _time?" Jim could only imagine. Jack Neilson, lovingly called Cupcake, had a propensity for pissing off the Senior Officers by doing something incredibly _stupid_. What was so sad was the fact that he could do it almost without trying.

"I'll say this. He may be eighteen, and therefore the youngest officer in Starfleet, he may be skinny as a fucking beanpole, he may have a speech impediment because of his accent and psychological trauma as a child, but you do _not _call Pavel Chekov a stuttering Rusky kitten and think he'll just stand there and take it."

"Excuse me?" JIm bristled, a natural reaction when there was any mention of Trouble, thy name is Chekov.

"Nielson showed up about ten, fifteen minutes ago covered in scratches. Arms, hands, face, he was in pretty bad shape."

"Scratches?" Jim frowned, "What'd he _do_, make a pass at one of the girls or something?"

"No, that would have been understandable, even permissible." Bones smirked, "No, I had to treat Lieutenant Neilson for a case of CSF." Jim thought about that for a minute before she started laughing. Bones had treated _her _for the same malady after a mishap with Spock, who wouldn't come out of his quarters for three days after.

"Cat-scratch fever? Oh, lordy! Who clawed Neilson?"

"Come 'ere, I'll show you something." Bones got up and she followed him out of the office. A large male Siamese with pale green foot-pads and nose and a decidedly green cast to his fur greeted them. Jim smiled and reached down.

"There you are, Commander. I was beginning to wonder where you'd gone off to."

"**My apologies, Captain. I've been keeping an eye on Ensign Chekov for Doctor McCoy."** Spock settled onto her shoulder, his usual perch when he was in Phase, Jim thought of something Bones had said regarding Chekov and frowned. Going into one of the exam rooms, she found Hikaru Sulu sitting on the exam bed, cradling a calico kitten. Spock jumped from his perch and sat on the bed beside them.

"Oh, Chekov! You poor thing!" Jim was horrified.

"**I am wery sorry, Keptin. I didn't mean to cause so much trouble for Lieutenant Neilson."** Chekov looked at her with sad green eyes. Jim reached for the kitten.

"Here, Lieutenant, I'll take him."

"Be gentle, Captain." Sulu warned as he surrendered little Chekov. Jim just smiled and took Chekov into her arms. Spock watched, tail and ears twitching. It was only a matter of time before Chekov was purring in her arms. He turned out to be a cuddler and rested his paws on her shoulder and tucked his head under her chin.

"I'll be damned." Bones chuckled, "Would you look at that?"

"There it is, Chekov. You're alright now." Jim smiled and cuddled with her navigator for a few minutes.

* * *

When Jim left Sickbay, Spock trotted along at her heel, Chekov rode on her shoulders, and Bones and Sulu took their places to her left and behind her. Rounding up Scotty and Uhura, Jim got them all to Conference Room 6 to tell them about their orders.

"Wait a minute. _Where _are we going?" Bones looked less than thrilled. Jim snickered.

"Klach d'kel Bracht." She folded her arms.

"**The Briar Patch?"** Spock's ears went back. Not a good sign.

"Please don't tell me this is Starfleet Command's idea of an easy, low-key research mission."

"Orders from Admiral Pike's desk." She looked at her officers, "There's just one problem."

"What's that?"

"There have been reports of rift anomalies splitting the time-space continuum near one of the two habitable planets. I have a chart of the Briar Patch and I've worked out where the anomalies have been appearing in the last few days." She pulled up the map on the projector, pointing out the anomalies, "They seem to be concentrated within a few hundred klicks of this planet."

"That's Anyarr, some people call it the Fountain of Youth." Sulu frowned at the rotating world.

"Very good, Mr. Sulu. I've also heard it called Devil's Eden. That's where we're going."

"Getting there, no problem." Scotty folded his arms across his chest, "What about when we _get _there?"

"We'll have to run at less than one-third impulse to keep our manifolds from overheating."

"There's reasons people don't go in there, sweetheart."

"We have orders, we're going in."

"I don't like it." Bones grouched. Jim rolled her eyes.

_What are _you _so happy about? _He snapped.

_I knew you'd react that way. Like you always said, Bones, space is disease and danger wrapped up in silence and darkness._

_Yeah, _don't _remind me. _Bones grumped. Jim snickered on his behalf, knowing he hated that.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Dipping into M-rating territory with this one. The Enterprise Captains find comfort in each other when things get rough. I shocked myself when this sucker came out, but it seemed to work. After all, Enterprise Captains are only Human after all, Human with very simple Human needs. Some action and Jim gets to meet Adhar Ru'afo. Anybody remember him? Read on! Please review?_**

* * *

Chapter Two

When they reached the Briar Patch, Jim held the Enterprise in position just outside the nebula so they wouldn't loose _all _contact with Starfleet. She assigned research teams to man shuttles and explore the nebula to chart and catalogue the rift anomalies and whatever else tickled their fancy. Jim had a team of her own built up of her Senior Officers, except for Scotty who flat out refused to leave the Enterprise, and three Security officers. For the most part, their runs weren't all that dangerous.

* * *

During their second week charting the Briar Patch anomalies, however, the Captain's shuttle, the Philadelphia, was lost through one of the rift anomalies above Anyarr.

Jim knew the Philadelphia was in trouble even before she saw the other ship. Before the other ship, apparently not recognizing themas a Federation craft, opened fire. The shuttles weren't well-shielded and she fought the Philadelphia out of firing-range with Sulu, trying to hail the ship firing _on _them at the same time.

"Captain, that's an Enterprise!" Sulu gasped as they cleared range.

"Yeah, but it ain't ours, Lieutenant." She exhaled sharply as they made a pass over the saucer hull. Just as they cleared the hull, the Philadelphia jolted and Jim jerked her hands off the controls, "What just happened?"

"We've stopped, Captain."

"Shit, they've got us in a tractor-beam! Damn it!" She looked out at the Enterprise, "Not even the bloody decency of a _hail_, damn it!" Jim unbuckled her harness and got up to go to the rear section of the shuttle, but she didn't get very far before the Philadelphia dissolved. Oh, wonderful. As if a tractor-beam wasn't insult enough, they were beaming the team off the shuttle without _warning _them? The minute she materialized on the receiving-pad on the Enterprise-E with the rest of her research-team, Jim looked sharply to her left at the young Ensign sitting behind the controls. None of the Senior Officers, so they didn't even have the courtesy to come down and see their…what _were _they? Prisoners? Guests? Hostages? Good god! Jim growled in her throat and left the transporter room, "Bones, Spock! Fall in! The rest of you, keep up!"

How she even remembered her way to the bridge on _this _Enterprise, Jim had no idea, but that's where they were going. That's where they would find Captain Picard and _his _officers, and hopefully get some answers as to why the _hell _he'd opened fire on a Federation craft! A shuttle, no less! Damn it! Under any other circumstances, Jim would have been happy to see the Enterprise-E, but after what had just happened, she had her reservations. She was actually surprised no one tried to stop them, she must have sent a good ten or twenty people scattering in sheer alarm. At _least _one Senior Officer, if she wasn't mistaken. Nothing like sending Deanna Troi backing into a bulkhead to get out of her way. Jim snorted. Fine.

* * *

Deanna Troi didn't realize the mess they were really in until she had to quite literally _jump _out of the way as eight officers came up the hallway. If not for their uniforms, she might have never recognized them. Three in Command gold, three in Science blue, and two in Engineering red. Plus three redshirts along for security. Uh-oh. Deanna looked after them and tapped her combadge.

"Troi to Bridge."

"Bridge. Go ahead, Deanna."

"Captain, the Philadelphia's crew is here. They're on their way up to the Bridge. Just to warn you, the Captain is _not _happy."

"You've _seen _them?" That was Will Riker.

"People are literally scrambling to get out of her way." Deanna was one of those people, by the way. This was going to be a show-down she didn't really want to miss, and she found a shortcut to the bridge to get there before Kirk and _her _officers arrived. She at least had to _warn _Picard, for his own sake.

* * *

As soon as Deanna Troi informed them that the officers of the Philadelphia were aboard the Enterprise-E and on the move, Jean-Luc Picard had the feeling that was bad. When Deanna signed off, Jean-Luc ordered the Philadelphia's hull-markings magnified. Once he saw the designation, just the simple numeric designation below the name, his heart sank.

"Oh no."

"Do you really think Jim Kirk was on that shuttle?" Will Riker's voice was very soft. Jean-Luc was not a timid man, but this wasn't just _any _officer of Starfleet he was dealing with. For the second time in his life, he was about to come face-to-face with the young living legends of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701). God help them all. He looked out at the Philadelphia and sighed.

"I don't _think_, Number One, I _know _she was on that shuttle and I know she's on her way here. How I'll ever apologize for _this_, I have no idea."

"You didn't know any better, sir. They could have been anyone."

"No, Will, I _knew _that was a Federation shuttle when I ordered Geordi to fire on them, I knew it and I did it anyway." He had only given the cease-fire because they had gone out of range before coming back to sweep the saucer-hull for a closer look at the name. Behind him, the bridge-doors swept open and he turned, knowing precisely what would greet him.

"Captain Picard, I would _really _like to know what possessed you to open fire on a marked Federation shuttlecraft with no shielding and no weapons! We had no defenses, what the _hell _were you thinking?" Yes, Kirk was angry, yes, _he _was at fault. No, the admirals would never hear of this if he could help it. He had something to say, but he wasn't stupid enough to think Kirk would believe him for a minute. She knew nothing of the Son'a, she was innocent.

"Captain!"

"Commander, you have the bridge. _I _have business with the Philadelphia's officers." He brushed off his jacket and hoped to god he'd get through this alive, "Captain Kirk, this way." He got them off the bridge, into a briefing room, and sat down to put his thoughts in order. Looking up, he noticed that only Kirk, Spock, and McCoy had come in. The others were either waiting outside or back on the bridge. At the far end of the table, Kirk leaned against the table, pressing her palms flat against the surface.

"My _god_, man! I never thought I'd live to see a day things got so bad Federation ships were firing on each other in neutral space!" She demanded answers, "Why did you open fire on the Philadelphia if you _knew _we weren't an enemy craft? What's got you spooked?" All Jean-Luc could do was shrug. He didn't trust his voice.

"Captain, _why _did you fire on the Philadelphia if you knew she was one of yours?" Doctor McCoy asked next. Kirk gave him a minute and came up the table until she stood beside his chair.

"Jean-Luc, please. You're my friend, I just don't understand why you thought I was your enemy." She rested one hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently, "Talk to us, please. Something about this place has you spooked."

"I feel…strange. It's as if the years are going in reverse and I'm getting younger." He shook his head, "There is something about this place. Something the Son'a want."

"The metaphasic radiation in Anyarr's rings can reverse the aging process and accelerate certain processes." Kirk's hand moved from his shoulder, "I fully expect the radiation to seize hold of Spock any day now."

"How long have you been in the Briar Patch?" from the sound of it, she'd been in for a while.

"Almost a week and a half. Starfleet Command assigned us to explore the Briar Patch and chart and catalogue anomalies splitting the time-space continuum within a range of three hundred klicks of Anyaar." Kirk shook her head slowly, "Everything was going smoothly until just a few minutes ago when we slipped through one of the anomalies."

"I'm sorry, Jim. You may not believe me, but I _am _sorry, so sorry."

"I know, I know." Kirk touched the back of his neck, Jean-Luc felt that contact straight down his spine.

"Captain?" McCoy didn't sound troubled by what he apparently saw, more curious than troubled.

"Wait for us outside. Spock, why don't you visit Doctor Crusher and see if she has anything that might be helpful for you."

"Yes, Captain." McCoy and Spock left the conference room, leaving him with Kirk. God bless her youth, she was so quick to forgive.

"Jim?"

"You're forgiven. Something about this place has you spooked and seeing the enemy at every turn. No one died, and the Philadelphia can be repaired." She kept touching as she talked, and Jean-Luc had to remind himself that she was married, quite happily so. These thoughts of his were so very wrong. Jim's touch slipped beneath his collar and he swore his heart stopped.

"Jim…Jamie…stop." Oh _why _couldn't he mean that? Damn radiation! Her reputation preceded her as a partner of some enviable skill, her counterpart had been a notorious Casanova in his day.

"Walk with me, Captain." She whispered, backing away with a last touch. He wanted to do more than just _walk_. Oh there was so much more he wanted to do. Steeling himself and cursing any number of things, Jean-Luc got to his feet and led the way out of the conference room. He passed her officers outside, she dismissed them with a word. He saw a brief exchange between husband and wife and for a moment felt guilty. He was no home-wrecker. But she was quick to fall into step and they made their way through the Enterprise-E together, not a word between them.

* * *

Jim followed the Captain into quarters and fought back a smile when he ordered his quarters sealed, no interruptions. Bones was okay with this, Picard needed her more than he did right now and he understood that. Jim leaned back against the closed door and watched him move around. For someone his age, Jean-Luc was in _really _good shape. She had a brief image in her head of what he'd look like in her century's duty-uniform and liked it. "Born to wear the gold," as they said in Command about the few really good Captains. He tossed off his jacket, where it landed she didn't quite know, and sat down in one of a few chairs scattered around the spacious quarters. Jim left the door and found his jacket. Picking it up, she folded it over her arm and just watched him. Hazel eyes opened and he smiled.

"Are you just going to stand there and watch me?"

"You're fascinating to watch." She shrugged, wondering what _he _saw when he looked at her. Some scent tickled her nose and she took a minute to locate the source. His jacket. Hmm? Jim paid closer attention. Oh, that was nice. Not caring that he watched, she brought the jacket up and buried her face in it. She took a deep breath and smiled.

"_Cakoya_ senses are doubly sensitive, and everything has a very distinct taste, feel, and smell." She said that mostly to herself, knowing she would never again smell dogwood without thinking of Picard. His quarters smelled like dogwood, books, and just faintly of ventilation coolant. There was tea, he drank tea. Hmm. She looked at him and smiled, "You can learn so much from a smell or a taste of something." To his credit he kept a straight face, but it was close. Jim had memorized the smell of him, she would never forget that, but…what did he _taste _like? Hmm, that would be a fun discovery. Now, granted, he was seventy years old and _she _was twenty-seven, that was forty-three years right there. Did it _bother _her? No. She was married, it probably _should _bother her. Did it bother _him_? Didn't look like it from where she was standing. He was old enough to be her grandfather, for chrissakes. No problem, he was Human with some very basic Human needs. Jim set his jacket down and watched him get up. They found their way to the bedroom and from there it was down to the basics. She had more work to do, but Jim had gotten very good at de-vesting her partner of choice with a few quick, practiced moves. Now, she had known before that her successor and fellow captain was in good shape, but…god damn he looked good! He had a few more scars than she did, and some fascinating stories to go along with them no doubt, a few more lines on his face from age and experience. They took a few minutes to learn each other, she had fun learning what made him hitch and gasp, what made him squirm. Jim was looking forward to this, maybe more than she should have.

* * *

An hour or so later, Jim surfaced from that lazy place and smiled. Jean-Luc rested beside her, completely and utterly at ease. She rested her head on her arms and just watched him sleep. A loud, strident beep broke into the silence, but he barely stirred. Jim groaned. Oh, _great_. Someone was looking for them.

"Bridge to Captain Picard." At least it was Deanna Troi. Jim exhaled slowly and pushed up on her elbows.

"It's Kirk. Captain Picard's unavailable."

"Captain, we've recieved a transmission from Starfleet Command."

"Oh, goodie. Which of the Brass wants to chat _this _time?" She could only imagine who or why.

"Admiral Dougherty, Captain."

"Give me a minute, I'll take this one. I think I can guess what he wants. Thanks, Deanna." She got out of bed and quietly got dressed in a proper duty-uniform, sitting down at Jean-Luc's desk to take the call from Dougherty. She'd had the misfortune to meet him the last time she'd been in the century, and she hadn't really liked him all that well. She activated the proper controls and leaned against the desk, running one hand through her hair, "Good morning, Admiral Dougherty."

"Captain Kirk!" Boy did _he _look surprised to see her, "I was not aware you were in the area!"

"I wasn't supposed to be, Admiral. What can we do for you?"

"Is Captain Picard available, I have something to tell him."

"I'm afraid he's not, sir. May I pass along a message?" Jim didn't have to look over her shoulder to know he was surfacing. She would handle Dougherty, let _him _sleep a little longer.

"Just tell him he has my thanks for a job well done and for gods sakes, come home! Get out of there, Enterprise has done her job well."

"Was there something else, Admiral?"

"No, just orders to pack up and go home, and thank you."

"I'll pass that along, sir. It was…a pleasure to speak to you again."

"An unexpected honor, Captain Kirk. You look well. Good bye."

"Good bye, sir." She shut down the communicator and leaned back in her chair, "Oh, I _hate _that man! I hate him!"

"Jim?"

"That was Dougherty." She got up and went to the bed, where he was already getting dressed, pulling on his boots, "He said it's time for the Enterprise to go home. I didn't tell him what I thought of those orders."

"We're not going home, we _can't_. The Ba'ku people need our help."

"I don't have the Enterprise with me, but is there anything _we _can do to help?" She sat down on the bed beside him, "What's troubling you?"

"I think Dougherty wants me to go home so I won't find out the truth, not knowing I already have."

"It's okay to disobey orders when the occasion calls for it."

"I'd say the occasion _definitely_ calls for it. Can I trust you with the Enterprise?"

"You know you can, I'll take care of her." Jim smiled and hugged him, "Go call Dougherty back and tell him no thank you, sir, we're staying here."

"Thank you, Jim." He kissed her on the temple and went to make that call. It didn't go well, and when it was over, Jean-Luc quietly pulled off the collar-tabs marking him a captain, effectively surrendering his command. Jim helped him put together what he needed for his personal mission, she was there when their officers found out and came looking for them. The look on Riker's face was memorable when Jean-Luc informed him that just because _he _was out of uniform meant the Enterprise was without her captain.

"Sir?"

"I've left Captain Kirk in command of the Enterprise-E, Number One. I have all the faith in the world in her." Jean-Luc just smiled. Looks were exchanged and Jim knew her officers thought this was nuts. Trusting a twenty-seven year-old girl with the _flagship_? She rolled her eyes.

"They did that once already, Bones. Remember?" She just smiled sweetly at him. He simmered, Spock smirked, and the chain of command switched. Once Jean-Luc was gone, complete with a landing-party that included _her _Senior Officers, Jim looked at Riker, "You don't mind taking orders from a woman, _do _you?"

"Not from you, kid, not from you."

"Good to hear that. Let's boogie." She left the transporter room, headed for the bridge, and went straight to the center chair. This was going to be just a bit of fun and another mark on the record. Her time-travel record was looking pretty good from here, but she suspected the Department of Temporal Investigations would beg to differ.

* * *

Things got interesting when they faced off against the Son'a fighters a few hours later, and Jim got to play dirty after taking a few hits. When she discovered that Jean-Luc was aboard the solar-collector, she handed command to Riker, beamed across to the collector, and looked for Ruafo. He was climbing a ladder to go after Jean-Luc, who was working furiously at a console high above on a catwalk. Jim unshouldered her Romulan disruptor rifle and took aim, "Hey, Ruafo! You picked a _bad _day to fuck with the Federation, my man!" Startled by the sound of her voice, the Son'a chieftain turned and looked down at her.

"Who the hell are _you_?" he snapped.

"Funny you should ask." She smirked, "I, sir, am Captain James T. Kirk of the USS Enterprise."

"Excuse me?"

"Yeah, I get that a lot. And no, you don't fuck with _my _ship or _my _Federation and expect me to play nice. You picked the wrong ship, the wrong captains to fuck with."

"You're not going to _shoot _me, you don't have the guts."

"Don't understimate her, Ruafo!" Jean-Luc called down, "It will be your last mistake!"

"I think not." Ruafo abandoned the ladder and stalked Jim, who didn't move. She kept him in her sights, watching him to judge his next move. This one liked to play dirty, well so did she. She tossed aside her rifle and faced him bare-handed. She wasn't going to tell _him_, but she wasn't unarmed after getting rid of the disruptor.

"Jim!" Jean-Luc called down in warning. Jim ducked the first blow. Ruafo was fast, dirty, and quite frankly exhausting. Jim fought back, and knew Bones would _kill _her when he got a look at her after this. Romulans, Klingons, no problem. Borg? Piece of cake. Son'a outcasts? Was that supposed to be a challenge? Ruafo got hold of her and threatened to drop her over the side. Just like Nero. God she _still _hated the bastard. Jim coughed and spat in Ruafo's face.

"Bastard! I…ugh, I fight Romulans and Klingons for the _hell _of it! You don't scare me!" She pulled a Klingon d'k tagh from her belt and Ruafo let go of her as she stabbed him about mid-abdominal region. She heard Jean-Luc yelling as she fell, but strangely felt no fear. Sure enough, a split second later, she was picked up by a transporter. Jim hit the receiving pad and groaned.

"Oow."

"Keptin!"

"Ugh. Thanks, Chekov." She let Sulu pull her off the receiving-pad, "Can you get Captain Picard?"

"Yes, mem!" Chekov and Scotty saluted and she didn't breathe again until Jean-Luc was standing on the platform. She brushed off her uniform and smiled at him.

"That's the second time I've been beamed out in free-fall. Exhilirating."

"I thought I'd _lost _you!"

"No luck." She looked at her officers, "What's the situation here?"

"We've sent the Son'a running if we didn't destroy them, Captain."

"Goodie. Let's go see how Riker's holding up without us." She led the way to the bridge. It was time to clean up this mess, at least start the process, get the Ba'ku home again, and figure out where the hell Starfleet Command had become so badly mislead.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Owen Paris's morning had been rather peaceful, and it might have remained thus if his door hadn't swept open and admitted the very last officer he had ever expected to see in his office ever again in _this _lifetime. Visits made by James T. Kirk were not in themselves unusual, the man was very regular about stopping by for a chat and Owen was quite fond of him. No, _that _wasn't the problem. The problem he had right now was quite simple: it _wasn't _James T. Kirk. It was the man's strikingly handsome younger female counterpart. When she stormed into his office that morning, he had no idea where she'd come from, _when _she'd come from, or how long she'd been here. What he _did _know: Captain Kirk the Younger was _not _a happy girl.

"Admiral Paris!"

"Admiral, I told her you weren't seeing anyone, she just wouldn't…"

"Can it, Goldie!" Kirk snapped, glaring at his unfortunate aide, "Scram!" Owen wasn't that surprised when Natasha bolted. Anyone with a head on their shoulders in Command knew when Kirk said get, you got and you got quick. The door closed, leaving him alone with a remarkably furious captain.

"I don't suppose _you're _the one Picard had the good sense to warn me about, are you?" Owen had to smile.

"Yes!" she spat.

"What can I do for you this morning, my dear?" Let the girl talk herself down, that's all he could do, just let her rant until she ran out of steam.

"Answer me this! What the_ hell _were you thinking?"

"On what matter?"

"Your farce of an alliance with the Son'a! I'd really like to know what Federation Council was thinking when they said this was okay!" Kirk was really fried, not that he blamed her. She had been there, commanding the Enterprise while Picard did his bit in other places. If not for her, Owen couldn't imagine how things might have turned out differently.

"I never agreed to it, Jim. Neither did your elder. We stepped down until Federation Council got it's head on straight. Thanks to you and the Enterprise-E, we didn't end up making that mistake."

"It didn't _bother _anyone that the Son'a are recognized manufacturers of ketracel-white, which is literally the drug of choice with the Dominion? That didn't ring any warning bells up here?"

"They were adamant that this was the right thing, this was _good _for us."

"Relocating six hundred innocent people who had _no _idea what was going on?"

"I opposed it, no one listened." He waved her to sit down, and she did so, "Where did you come from?"

"I didn't bring the Enterprise with me this time, Admiral, just my senior officers." Kirk looked sad, and much older than her twenty-seven years, "I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever have a _normal_, low-key mission that doesn't include fighting off Romulans, Klingons, or whatever nasty Captain Picard happens to dig up next time."

"Surely not _every _mission?"

"Sure feels like it, sir." She put her head in both hands and he suspected her outburst was due in great part to physical and mental exhaustion. Even _cakoya _were not meant to function at such a level as Kirk had been recently.

"I am sorry you can't get home, Captain, but I'm not sorry you're back. We could use someone like you." He smiled and wondered how hard it would be to get her back out in the center chair. Kirk was a mover, not a bystander. Exhausted and burned out as she was, she wouldn't stand by if there was an adventure to be had, places to explore, and people to meet. She kept her head down, but he saw her smile.

"Admiral?"

"Hmm?"

"Would it be much bother, sir, to, uh…would you mind doing a little hunting, sir?"

"Not at all, Captain. I'd be happy to, we're bound to have something suitable for someone like you." He got up and went around the desk. Kirk got up and Owen found himself the recipient of a hug.

"Thanks, Owen."

"You're very welcome, Jim. Welcome home." He just hugged her, and wondered if she would ever stop jumping back and forth between centuries and realities. It had to be _very _disorienting for her. And for her officers.

* * *

A few weeks after landing in the 24th century Primary Universe, for a second time no less, Jim and her officers were starting to integrate themselves. It looked like they were stuck for a while, might as well make the best of a bad situation. Bones spent a _lot _of his time at Starfleet Medical HQ, Spock found himself very much at home at Starfleet Embassy, and Jim haunted around Starfleet Command, pestering Admiral Paris and Admiral Janeway when she could find them. The rest of them found their own places to keep busy, and life was quiet for a while. She also changed her name from James to Jameson, adding two letters to the end of her first name. Jameson Tiberius Kirk. Still turned heads, but it made a _lot _more sense and caused a _lot _less confusion.

* * *

Six months later, Jim received word from the Admirals that they'd found a ship suitable to her reputation and tastes. The USS Fantasia was hers for the taking, was she interested? Well, _duh_. Of _course _she was interested! When did they sail? The Admirals tried not to laugh too hard, Jim had really tried to behave herself while stateside.

"Jamie-girl, _one _of us has to be out there doing what we do and love best. I'm too old for that anymore, we need _young _blood out there." Admiral Kirk said once when she got a minute alone with him to tell him about the Fantasia and thank him.

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes I do. You can make your mark on history, Jim, you've got a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity here."

"Like they say, sir, carpe diem."

"Seize the day indeed. The Fantasia's no Enterprise, but she's roughly the same size."

"Our Enterprise was big in her day, in today's armada she'd be one of the smallest ships." Jim made a face.

"Fantasia's an Intrepid-class starship, just like Voyager."

"Science and exploration." Jim smiled. She'd never seen the Voyager or met her captain, that had happened well before her first foray into the Primary Universe, but she sure _knew _about the Voyager. So, Jim took a new commission in a new century for new adventures and kept her fingers crossed she'd someday get home alright.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Jim Kirk held the center chair of the USS Fantasia from 2375 onward, and the more time she spent there, the more she wondered if she and her officers would ever see home again. She was desperate enough to go home that she actually _begged _Captain Picard's nemesis Q for help, not that the man was a great deal of help. He just told her that this experience was good for her, he'd send her home when she was ready. When _she _was ready? Did he understand the concept of home-sickness? Not likely, he just chuckled and told her to stop worrying so much, it was bad for her health.

In 2378, Starfleet Command pulled the Fantasia out of a research mission in Orion space to report to Sector 002. There was some concern that the Borg had come crawling out of whatever hole they lived in and were about to ram down the back door…_again_. Jim's exact response to Admiral Kirk was actually quite funny.

"Over my fucking dead body will those cyborg bastards come anywhere _near _Earth. Just give the word, Admiral."

"The word is given, Captain Kirk. Good luck." Kirk snickered, wished her luck, and off she went to make sure an old enemy of hers didn't get _too _close to home. She'd already faced off against these bastards once, she was itching for another go. What they found at Sector 002 was entirely unexpected. The transwarp conduit was there, just as they had been warned, but something didn't look right.

"Chekov, scan the transwarp conduit. I want to know what's going on inside."

"Aye, Keptin." Her tactical officer saluted and she waited for a report. Spock, meanwhile, couldn't sit still and prowled the bridge. After the third pass, Jim rolled her eyes.

"_**Spock, would you either sit down or go bother Bones? You're making the back of my neck itch."**_

"_**My apologies, Captain." **_Spock stopped moving around and came to sit. As seemed typical when any of her _cakoya _or _mesicha _officers were particularly nervous, Spock prowled the deck in Phase, today as a Greyhound. He had a black coat with brown eyes, and the notable green nose and pads. Around his neck he wore a blue leather collar with a division tag. Jim stroked the proud, narrow head and played with the silky ears. He hated that, really, but it was his secret soft-spot and his eyes closed.

"Hah. That's better. Easy now, Mr. Spock." She got to her feet, "Mr. Chekov, report if you please."

"Keptin, I'm getting readings…zhey are wery confusing." Chekov looked up from his console behind the command chairs, "I don not understand."

"Let's take a look." She went back and leaned over the console. Chekov was right, the readings _were _confusing. The conduit itself was collapsing, and something was coming out of it.

"Keptin?"

"That conduit's not _collapsing_, Mr. Chekov, it's _exploding_! Sulu, are you getting anything coming out of the conduit?"

"A Borg Sphere, Captain, but nothing else."

"Fuck me." She ran one hand through her hair, which was longer now than it had been five years ago when she had first set foot on a starship's bridge as the newly-minted Captain of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701). That seemed like an entire _lifetime_ ago, more like a dream. Jim paced her bridge for a bit, ignoring the dirty look her Greyhound First shot her, waiting for something to happen. She had Sulu on standby to fire, if that was necessary, and watched, dumbfounded, as the Borg Sphere self-obliterated and spat something out into free space. Jim was closest _to _that ship, and ordered emergency evasive.

"Holy Mother of God! What was _that_?"

"I think it was a starship, Captain." Sulu got them straightened out and she sank into her chair.

"Oh my god, _that _was frightening!"

"If _we're _spooked, Captain, what about _them_?" Sulu pointed at the ship drifting just off their starboard bow, and she hiccupped.

"Oh, would you _look _at her!"

"Sickbay to Bridge!"

"Bridge. Bones, if you can, you might want to get up here." Jim took the furious hail, "We've got something!" "What the hell just _happened_?"

"Come up here, babe, take a look!" She smiled, "I can't believe it! I just…I _can't _believe it! My god, she's beautiful!"

**"**_**That is Voyager, Captain."**_

_** "I know, Spock, I know, I know it's Voyager. Thank god she's home!" **_Jim was almost in tears when her husband stormed onto the bridge, took one good look at the returned Voyager, and turned right back around. Jim got up, "Spock, you have the bridge."

_**"Aye, Captain."**_

"Uhura, hail Voyager and see if they need any medical assistance."

"Aye, Captain. Starship Voyager, this is Starship Fantasia." Uhura turned to her controls, "Do you require any medical assistance at this time?" Jim heard the affirmative just as she left the bridge with Bones, who returned to Sickbay and got what he needed, including three of his assistants.

"I'm going to guess Voyager doesn't have a full medical team, you might be real busy." Jim followed him to Transporter Room 4 and watched him mount the pad, "Give Captain Janeway my regards, will you?"

"Sure thing, sweetheart. See you at home." He smiled and she ordered Scotty to engage. Then it was back to the bridge to watch things play out from there.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

When Kathryn Janeway was hailed by one of the ships waiting not for her ship but for the Borg, asking if medical assistance was needed, she jumped on it. If the Fantasia could spare anyone, she needed all the bloody help she could _get_. Help was promised, and Kathryn left the bridge to Tuvok and Harry Kim. Tom Paris was down in Sickbay with his wife, celebrating the birth of their daughter. Her First Officer followed her off the bridge and she just smiled at him.

"You look sad for someone who's finally home, Kate."

"It seems like such an anticlimactic ending to everything we've _been_ through, like getting home shouldn't have been this easy."

"_Easy_?" Chakotay looked flabbergasted, "You thought this was _easy_? Would you like to go back to the Delta Quadrant and try again?"

"No, it's…nostalgia." She smiled at her jumpy First, "I'm not sure what's next, Chakotay."

"You thrive on that uncertainty, Kate, I know you do. Don't _worry _about it. Who's surrendering a medical team?"

"Fantasia."

"That was kind of them."

"I intend to thank the captain as soon as I get the chance." Kathryn entered the staging area of Transporter Room 6 and waited for the Away Team from Fantasia. Katheryn was pretty sure her mouth had dropped open when she saw precisely _who _had come calling.

"Oh…my…god." She blinked several times, "Oh…"

"Looks like you folks had a rough ride gettin' home. Everything alright?" The very young CMO who stepped off the receiving pad looked around with a practiced eye, settling at last on Kathryn and Chakotay, and smiled, "Captain Janeway, I presume? I've heard a lot about you, never thought I'd meet you myself." Before Kathryn could come up with a reasonable response, she was shaking hands with an incredibly young, very good-looking gentleman who could _only _be Leonard H. McCoy. He was only one of Starfleet's biggest heroes, one of it's favorite sons. But Admiral McCoy was _much _older!

"I suppose I might say the same for _you_, Doctor. Please, allow me to introduce my First Officer. This is Chakotay."

"Pleasure, sir." McCoy shook hands with Chakotay, who was absolutely speechless in the presence of a living legend, "I heard you folks needed some help."

"Ah, yes. Yes we do. I'll show you the way." Kathryn suspected that was unnecessary, but she did it anyway. Once inside Sickbay, McCoy did a complete sweep of the place, cataloguing patients and snapping orders to his assistants and a very put-out Doctor who didn't even have a chance to demand his exact business. Tom Paris crept up, trying to stay out of McCoy's way to avoid getting kicked out.

"Captain?"

"Yes, Mr. Paris?"

"Uh, is…is _that _Doctor McCoy?"

"Yes, it is."

"Ohh."

"Fascinating man, isn't he? No fear."

"_I _like him. I'd love to meet his captain." Chakotay smiled beside her, "If _that's _McCoy, there's only one captain he'd serve."

"Kirk. But if he's so young, we may find ourselves with something quite different." Kathryn just smiled and had one foot out the door when a hand landed on her shoulder.

"Oh-ho _no _you don't. Captain, you come right back in here. I assume you've left your bridge to capable officers?"

"Yes."

"Then you're not going _anywhere_. Commander, you're free to go. I'll come dig you out later." Kathryn shot Chakotay a pleading look, the coward just smiled at her and fled before McCoy changed his mind. McCoy pushed, prodded, and shoved her into a secluded exam room, told her to sit down, and shut up. Kathryn had to bite her tongue. There were a million things she had to do! And not a single one of them would get done because McCoy had banished her to Sickbay.

"Nice try, Captain." He eyed her sidelong and smirked, "I ain't that stupid."

"Did I say something?"

"Body-language, my dear captain. I have to put up with Jim, and she's worse about this than _you _are." His smirk turned into a soft smile. The rough-edged doctor with a heart of gold and a soft-spot for his captain. Kathryn had to smile.

"What's Captain Kirk like? We hear all about him at the Academy."

"Who, Jim?" McCoy looked up from whatever he was doing and lines appeared around his eyes as he smiled, "Oh, you'd like her. She's a lot like you, really." He must have missed the stunned look. _She_?

"Doctor…you must be from an alternate reality."

"Bingo. We've been trapped here for three years, Jim's getting homesick and Q's being a real bastard. I know he can get us home, he just don't want to."

"Oh, you had the misfortune of meeting _him_, did you?"

"You have no idea. I, quite personally, _loathe _the man. I hate him."

"I don't think many people _like _him." Kathryn tried not to smile on behalf of his disdain for Q, who wasn't her favorite person either. She rather liked McCoy, she just wasn't sure _why_. He definitely knew his business in a Sickbay, he always had and always would, and she knew without asking that the fractional quirk of an eyebrow wasn't good. Of course not, it came with a frown.

"Doctor?" Just her luck if she'd caught something back in the Delta Quadrant. It figured.

"That's odd. Captain, have you, uh, noticed any behavioral changes?"

"Behavioral changes? No, why?"

"Right. No change in your sleeping-patterns, eating habits?" McCoy looked up at her, "Nothing like that? Mood-swings?"

"Not that _I've _noticed." And not that she ignored herself, either.

"Oh brother. Well, hmm." He frowned at the tri-corder, "Hmm."

"What's wrong?" He ran another scan, and Kathryn was dying to know exactly what was wrong with her.

"Uh…huh. Well, I don't know if it's _really _going to be a problem, I hope not, but…could you tell me the last time you remember _having _your period?" That was a most bizarre question and really not one Kathryn could answer.

"Excuse me?"

"Just a…rough ballpark figure, Captain." God help her the man was blushing. Oh brother. She tried to remember, counting backwards on her hands and in her head. The last time she'd bothered to _notice_ had been about two or three months ago.

"Two, maybe three months. I haven't really paid that much attention."

"And you haven't noticed any changes in your sleeping patterns, mood-swings, or eating habits since then?"

"No, not really. I always thought it was stress. Was it…something else?"

"I have no idea who the father might be, I have _no _idea what the Brass will say, or what _you'll _do, please don't faint on me, but…it looks like you're due to be a mother." He handed her the tri-corder, "If that scan's not lying to me."

"Oh my god."

"Bad news for you?"

"No! Oh, I don't know." She put the tri-corder aside and put her head in her hands, "I know who it was, Doctor McCoy, and I can _never _tell him!"

"Do you want _me _to?"

"No, oh please don't!"

"Captain, who is it and why the hell won't you _tell _him?" he was giving her _that _look, the don't-you-lie-to-me-I'm-not-that-stupid kind of look she was guilty of giving her own officers at times.

"Because he's already moved on, and he doesn't need that kind of pressure from me." She was thinking of Chakotay, and that made her sad as she remembered how happy he seemed to be with Seven.

"Well, domestic difficulties aside, everything looks good for now. You're going to keep it, aren't you?"

"Yes." Kathryn smiled and backed up until she reached the wall, childishly hugging her knees to her chest, "It might be all I have to remember him."

"I'll give you a few minutes to yourself, Captain." He shut down his equipment, "Do you mind my asking who the father is?"

"It's Chakotay."

"Your First Officer?"

"I can't reveal him, or he'll be in more trouble than he is already!"

"Maybe not. Let me look into something for you both, but I won't say a word to him if you don't want me to."

"Please don't, I should tell him."

"_Will _you tell him?" she wondered if he gave Captain Kirk that look often. Kathryn just shrugged and let him leave. As soon as he was gone, she cried.

* * *

As he left the exam room, Leonard McCoy looked over his shoulder and sighed. This was _not _good. Kathryn Janeway was a strong woman, but apparently not _that _strong. After checking in on the other patients, there weren't as many as he'd expected, Leonard departed Sickbay and as soon as he was out, he leaned against the bulkhead and caught his breath.

"Doctor McCoy?" he turned his head and looked over sharply. The EMH stood nearby, he looked worried, "Are you alright?"

"Am I _that _transparent?"

"You do not seem very happy."

"Just worried." He needed to talk to somebody, somebody who could _maybe _talk to Janeway, and had an idea, "Doctor, may I beg a favor of you?"

"Of course."

"Might I beg the use of your office to contact Fantasia?"

"Of course! Yes, this way, please!"

"Thank you." He went back into Sickbay and sat down at the desk. Once the EMH was gone, he sealed the office, glad for sound-proofing, and contacted the Fantasia. He got hold of Jim, who already knew something was wrong.

"Bones?"

"I need you." Three words, a simple request. She nodded.

"I'll leave Spock in charge. I'm coming." That was it, he had his resource.

"Thank you." He touched the screen, and shut down. Going out, he thanked the EMH, who mentioned that Captain Janeway had just left looking rather out of sorts. That didn't surprise him, and he simply asked where she'd gone.

"I am not certain, Doctor McCoy, she said nothing to me."

"Doesn't surprise me. Thanks."

"Is everything alright, sir?"

"I sure hope so. Keep your fingers crossed." He left Sickbay and stopped long enough to ask the computer where, precisely, Janeway had gone. It looked like she was hiding in her quarters. Leonard hated to interrupt her, but he had to. When Jim arrived, he led the way.

"What's going on, Bones?"

"Captain Janeway's pregnant."

"_What_?"

"Shh!"

"Sorry. How?"

"How do you _think_?"

"Aw, geeze. She didn't take it well, did she?"

"Nope. She snuck out of Sickbay while I was talking to you, she's holed up in her quarters."

"Why me?"

"I need somebody to talk to her, to tell her this isn't a problem, maybe listen if _she'll _talk."

"I don't care what people say about you, Bones, you really do have a heart of gold." Jim hugged him and knocked on the door of the Captain's quarters. Surprisingly, they were bade enter.

"Captain Janeway?" Leonard coughed politely, "Are we interrupting anything?"

"No, Doctor McCoy. You may come in." She sounded like she hadn't really stopped crying.

"She sounds terrible!" Jim whispered, "What can we do?"

"Be there for her. She's just completely overwhelmed."

"I know how _that _feels." Jim brushed off her uniform, a weird little habit she'd picked up from Captain Picard. For some reason, it made Leonard smile when she did that. It probably always would.

"Captain, I brought someone with me."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Kathryn really wasn't that surprised when Doctor McCoy found her hiding in her quarters, and she couldn't be angry with him. When she saw who had followed him in, she knew this was _his _Captain. She hadn't been sure what to expect of Captain Kirk, but without the girl saying a solitary _word_, Kathryn knew she had a kindred spirit. Making the introductions, McCoy backed out gracefully and promised to make sure no one bothered them. Once the door closed behind him, Kathryn just sat down. Jameson, as Kirk called herself, sat down beside her.

"Bones told me. I hope you don't mind."

"No, I don't mind. I just…"

"You don't know how to tell the father." Jameson smiled understandingly, "I know how that feels." Kathryn almost asked the obvious stupid question before catching sight of the silver band on Jameson's hand.

"How many?"

"Two. The youngest, though, he's keeping us all on our toes." Jameson blushed, "No child should be _that _smart at the age of three."

"What's his name?"

"Valek." Jameson pulled a little photograph from her pocket, crumpled and creased from multiple showings. It was a decent quality considering the handling, and Kathryn took it. Jameson looked very happy in this picture, but it was quite obvious the child she was hugging was not fully Human. He looked almost Vulcan.

"Is this him?"

"That's my boy. His hair's a little curlier than his father's, and a _lot _lighter, but if he's not his father's son…paint me green and call me an Orion, Captain."

"He looks Vulcan."

"Precisely a quarter, according to my husband."

"You're married?"

"Why does that always surprise people?"

"Does it _always _surprise people?"

"Shocked the socks off of Admiral Kirk when he found out."

"Oh."

"I don't wear this because it looks nice." Jameson fiddled with her ring. Kathryn set the picture down and hugged Jameson.

"You're a very lucky girl and whoever roped you in is the luckiest man alive."

"The luckiest man alive walked out that door five minutes ago." Jameson took the picture back and studied it, "It's the one semi-impulsive thing I've never regretted doing."

"McCoy?"

"Shocking, I know."

"Not so much." Kathryn just smiled.

"So, are you going to keep it?"

"Yes, I have _every _intention of keeping it. I wasn't under the impression doing otherwise would please your mother-hen husband."

"You're a complete stranger, if you thought _that _was bad, you've seen _nothin_'."

"You're his wife, Jameson, he _has _to worry about you."

"Wife _and _Captain, double whammy. I swear he just puts up with me half the time because he can't _do _anything else."

"How did you know it was love?"

"I don't know. I think it was when I was there for him after his ex tried to take Joanna away." Jameson pulled out another picture, this one showing her with Doctor McCoy and a little girl. They were both much younger in this picture, it must have been taken the day of their wedding, McCoy was in dress-uniform. She looked from the picture of Jameson's family to the picture of Jameson and her son.

"Oh, you have such a lovely family!"

"I have a rather bizarre family. A _large _family." Jameson smiled, "Kinda like yours. After this many years in space, your crew becomes your family."

"Yes, it does."

"Will you tell Chakotay?"

"Hmm?"

"He's the father, isn't he?"

"Yes."

"Won't you tell him?"

"I can't, he's moved on."

"Oh, you don't believe that for a minute! _I _don't believe that! What makes you think he's moved on?"

"He's already found someone else to make him happy."

"Katie, I don't know _who _he found to replace you, but I don't think she makes him happy."

"How old are you?"

"Thirty."

"God you're wise."

"Thank you. I'm serious." Jameson looked at her, "Tell him, just tell him it's yours and you want the baby to know it has a father."

"I don't want to make him angry or scare him away."

"I haven't met Chakotay, I'd really like to, but I don't think you'll _scare _him away or make him angry." Jameson got up and held out her hands, "Come on, you should be on your bridge when your ship gets home." So, back to the bridge. Jameson vanished in a transporter before they got there, but Kathryn knew what she had to do. Stepping onto the bridge, she smiled at her exhausted, relieved crew and looked out the viewscreen. Earth loomed ahead of them, bright, blue, and so very wonderful.

"Are you alright, Captain?" Chakotay asked quietly as she stared out at Earth. She smiled sadly.

"Please don't call me that, Chakotay." She looked at him and wondered if Jameson was right.

"What _should _I call you?"

"Kate. Just…call me Kate, like you used to." _Before I screwed up and pushed you away. _She missed his eyes widening, Starfleet Command was hailing. And boy were they happy to see her.

* * *

Thirty minutes after they got home, Jim was holding the Fantasia just off the port nacelle of the Voyager as they skimmed the Golden Gate Bridge. Antimatter fireworks burst around them, lighting up the sky. She had begged to take the Fantasia down with the Voyager, and the Admirals had said sure. After returning to orbital stations, it was time to party. Federation Hall had been opened up for the soiree, and Jim wasn't about to miss what promised to be one hell of a party. But before she did _that_, she had to visit the Voyager again. Kathryn was there to meet her off the receiving pad, she looked sad.

"This is ridiculous." Jim rolled her eyes, "Do you love him or don't you?"

"Yes, I _do_!"

"Then _do _something about it!"

"But _what_, Jim? What can I do?"

"Find him, tell him, and accept whatever happens."

"I don't even think he's _here_, Jim." Kathryn looked so lost Jim hugged the older woman.

"Come on, there's one way to find out." She left the transporter room, "Computer, locate Commander Chakotay." If he was still on the ship, the computer would tell them his precise location.

"Commander Chakotay is in his quarters."

"Computer, is he alone?" That would be the deal-clincher. When the affirmative came, Jim smiled.

"Well, there you go. Come on." Finding quarters wasn't that hard, and she had barely knocked when the door flew open. Jim smiled at the baffled First Officer.

"Captain Kirk?"

"Commander, good evening."

"W-what are you doing here?"

"Well, ah, I'm putting things to rights." She stepped aside, letting him see Kathryn.

"Oh! W-would you like to, uh, come in?"

"Are we welcome?"

"Nonsense, Captain. Come." Jim grabbed Kathryn by the hand and went inside. One look was all she needed. Hmm, she didn't think those roses or that champagne were for Seven of Nine. She explored the quarters, staying out of the bedroom, while the commanding officers had a staring contest. She found a little black box on the desk, holding down a piece of paper. He'd written it _down_? Curious, Jim peeked. Nope, not for Seven of Nine. She opened the box and almost dropped it.

_Oh, wow! Wow! How many replicator credits did _this _cost him? _She closed the box over a two-carat solitare princess sapphire in a cathedral setting, palmed the whole deal, and headed for the couch where the two sat in silence.

"Commander, that needs to stop gathering dust on your desk." She tossed Chakotay the box, leaned over the back of the couch when she got there, and kissed him on the cheek, "And a word to the wise, forget what you wrote down and just say what's in here." She touched the front of his uniform, where his heart thundered against her hand, "Whatever's in here, it's the right thing to say. Trust me." She touched the back of his neck and left the room. Leaning against the door outside, she smiled and closed her eyes.

* * *

When Jim left Chakotay's quarters after giving him a box and a piece of whispered advice, Kathryn wondered what mischief the young Captain was up to. She looked at her silent first, and wondered where Seven was.

"Where's Seven?" Harsh, harsh, _harsh_.

"I sent her away." Chakotay turned the little black box over in his hands, "I…didn't _want _her."

"Sure fooled me."

"Kate!"

"Oh, _what_?"

"I never loved her! I never felt for her _anything _like what I felt for you, never!" She couldn't tell if Chakotay was angry or just sad, "But when you kept pushing me away and pushing me away and telling me I wasn't good enough, what was I supposed to _do_?"

"Chakotay…"

"Don't stop me, Kate, _please_! Captain Kirk was right, you know?" he looked at her with those saddest brown puppy-dog eyes, sliding off the couch to fall to his knees, "She was right. Please, _please _don't push me away again. I couldn't take it."

"What?" Master debator, negotiator, and orator, and she was at a complete loss for words.

"I…didn't want Seven. She wasn't like you at all. She wasn't…_you_. I had to send her away, I had no choice. I was doing myself a disservice, I was doing her a disservice, and I was doing _you _the greatest disservice of all. Seven years is a _long _time, Katie. You were afraid to get hurt, I respected that, but when you kept pushing me away, I didn't know what to think. I tried everything in my power to show you how much _I _cared, how much you meant to me. Why do you think I kept freaking out when Away Missions went wrong?"

"Oh…"

"Please, _please _don't push me away again." He looked at her sadly, then looked at the box, "I had all these words written down, exactly what I wanted to say. But now…they don't mean anything." He gave her the box.

"What's this?"

"I wanted to give it to you…I've been keeping it." He watched her open it. When Kathryn saw what was inside the box, nothing else mattered. Inside the box was a most beautiful ring.

"Chakotay…"

"Say yes!"

"Yes!" Why not say yes? Kathryn had denied herself for too long. Whatever the future held, she didn't want to be alone. Chakotay was willing to be there with her for everything, he had been for years. The ring fit perfectly, and it was a rather nice way of saying "I'm taken" to any potential suitors.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

When they touched down on Starfleet Command receiving-pads, Jim saw Admiral Kirk and Valek waiting on the other side of the barrier-line and stepped off the pad. Kirk set Valek down, and Jim got to her knees to catch her son.

"M'aih!" Valek cooed, petting her hair and her uniform. Jim just hugged him and got to her feet. Bones was, of course, right behind her with Spock. Valek automatically reached over her shoulder for Spock, who reached back. Jim surrendered her son to his father and kissed Bones.

"We made it home."

"Feels kinda good." He smiled, "We're _not _missing that party, by the way."

"Nope." Jim chuckled, she was actually looking forward to that particular party.

* * *

After the return of the Voyager, Jim had hunted down Q and told him she was quite ready to go home. So, he found a way to get them home. When the Philadelphia slipped effortlessly through a rift back in the Briar Patch, they came out and headed for open space. Time to go home for real. When they saw _their _Enterprise, it wasn't alone.

"Who thinks we were gone long enough to be missed?" Jim whispered as she saw the mini-armada.

"I'll say yes." Sulu shook his head, "Look at them!"

"I guess we _do _get the kind of homecoming Captain Janeway got with Voyager." Jim smiled and made contact with the Enterprise.

_Jim, we have a slight problem back here._

_What's wrong, Bones? _it couldn't be _that _bad, he was smiling. Looking over her shoulder, Jim got one look at her husband and laughed, "Oh no!"

"I think the time-travel aspect of it all freaked him out _just _a little."

"Oops." She looked at the frightened kitten shaking in her husband's arms, "Oh, Valek! Give him to Chekov."

"Alright." Bones just smiled and left again.

"I didn't know they could do that so young." Sulu was trying not to smile _too _broadly.

"Me neither." She just shook her head. When they landed in the shuttle-bay, she finished shut-down procedures and went back. Valek, still shaking, jumped into her arms and curled up on her shoulder.

"_**M'aih? What happened?"**_

"_**You scared yourself into Phase, darling. It's alright, I'll turn you back the way you're supposed to be." **_She set Valek down and quietly spell-cast him back to human form and took his hand. Valek was only five, it had been two years since the Voyager's return and it had taken that long to convince and bully Q into sending them home again. She stepped off the boarding stairs and smiled when Valek ducked out of sight behind her when he saw Admiral Pike and her father.

"It's okay, Valek, they're not going to hurt you." She coaxed her shy son out of hiding and picked him up, "That's your grandfather."

"Oh." Valek furrowed his brow, looking so much like his father Jim almost laughed.

"Jim! I'd hug you, but it looks like your arms are full!" Pike smiled, "Who's this?"

"Admiral Pike, this is my son, Valek. I think you can probably guess who his father is."

"So _that _happened while you were missing."

"Yes, that happened while we were missing." She stroked Valek's curly hair, "Valek, say hello to Admiral Pike."

"H-hello, sir."

"My god, he looks like _both _of you!" Pike shook his head, smiling, "You have _got _to be exhausted."

"You have no idea, we're just glad to be _home_."

"I can imagine." Pike's smile faltered, "Five years is an awful long time to be gone, Jim."

"I know, and I kept trying to find a way home, but without the Enterprise, that was harder than you'd think."

"I doubt you sat on your hands all that time."

"No, actually, we didn't." She looked over her shoulder at the Philadelphia, "Admiral Paris took pity on us and handed me the keys to the USS Fantasia."

"Sounds like you kids kept busy. So how did you celebrate your thirtieth?"

"Uh…what _were _we doing?"

"Escorting the Voyager back to Earth." Bones pitched in helpfully.

"Oh, yeah. That's right. That was about a week later. The day itself, I was kicking Ferengi ass."

"Oh dear."

"Sent those creeps running like babies." She rolled her eyes, "Cowards. You show your teeth and they run like the wind."

"Hmm." Pike chuckled, "You have that effect on people, Jimmy." Formal reports would wait for later, right now, the Enterprise was hers for taking back. She was smaller than the Fantasia, and _much _smaller than the Enterprise-E, but she was home. Returning to Earth, they got a month's worth of shore-leave. Technically, they had a lot more than that, but that wasn't the point. Jim and her officers stayed with the Enterprise, getting back into the groove of things. It was good to be home, and just a little weird.


End file.
